Brent Harvey's comments

[Honeyboy Wilson]

I can't remember the quote word for word, but on the radio after the match in an interview, Boomer summed it up almost too perfectly. He seriously sounded like a Bigfooty Port fan.

Basically, he said that Port almost played exactly how North wanted them to, they were more than happy for us to kick it around the backline over and over again because it gave their backline a rest.

When the opposing team's captain says that our gameplan made it far too easy for them, surely something is wrong with our gameplan.

I'm so sick of watching us push a brick wall up the wings for 5 minutes only to get a low percentage shot on goal as a reward. I get that a turnover in the corridor is costly... but if all our players are on the wings, then the corridor is completely open for the opposition team to use.

I just can't see us winning any game ever with our tactics.

 

[The Beer Man]

How long has Port been employing said tactics? I ask purely because ive seen Port play some terrific fast dangerous footy in previous games, though not so much in the past 30 or so games.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

Sigh, three or four season's now with occasional lapses into the sort of football you can respect and enjoy. Choco's seemingly fully committed to the strategy unfortunately.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

That chipping possession gameplan has been a Williams staple since day 1. It's why we were such a miserable train-wreck in finals in he early 2000s, and now with modern footy being all about getting numbers behind the ball to prevent scoring, it's the football equivalent of taking a burley bath before going for a swim with Great White sharks.

 

[jacko57]

Despite the credits in Laidley's ledger when he was coaching us, the biggest debit was the way he encouraged the team to chip the ball around the backline until, inevitably, they managed to turn it over. I feel your pain.

 

[wapower]

I love the common sense approach to coaching at Port Adelaide. Move the ball fast and direct punching through the North Melbourne zone with good delivery to a key forward = 7.1.

Keep the ball, chip chip chip, turnover = North Melbourne goals.

Don't you just love in game adjustments. I will keep harping on about the dysfunctional coaching box we have. The entire thing needs a clean house and sooner rather than later.

 

[cortez]

I dont mind teams chipping it around the backline to try and open up space in the zone, but you need to have precise foot skills and pace once the play opens up... we have neither

 

[kaysee]

Sigh, three or four season's now with occasional lapses into the sort of football you can respect and enjoy. Choco's seemingly fully committed to the strategy unfortunately.

Here-in lies the strategy.

> 3 years ago we used this strategy because it played to out strengths:

- Lade, Brogan were at the top of their games (and Primus before them).
- Our midfield was stronger and less defensive.
- Our strength was definitely in our ruck contests and set plays around them.

* Our strategy was, unless a clear & uncontested option was available upfield, to kick along the boundary line, cause a contest next to the boundary which if we didn't win would most likely spill OOB and force a ruck contest... which given above was our main strength.

Here-in lies the PROBLEM.
- no PLAN B (what are we the A-Team? )
- when Lade and Brogan started struggling so did we.
- when our midfield was weakened by injury so were we.

* 3 years on and we have no Lade, no Burgoynes, an extremely defensive based and unskilled midfield, and Brogan is struggling with the workload... and still no Plan B. MWs has refused to adapt... he is an extremely pessimistic coach... always too worried about what will go wrong (probably scared from the earlier career criticisms "wont win a flag" and the the 2007 debarcle).

 

[wapower]

Here-in lies the strategy.

> 3 years ago we used this strategy because it played to out strengths:

- Lade, Brogan were at the top of their games (and Primus before them).
- Our midfield was stronger and less defensive.
- Our strength was definitely in our ruck contests and set plays around them.

* Our strategy was, unless a clear & uncontested option was available upfield, to kick along the boundary line, cause a contest next to the boundary which if we didn't win would most likely spill OOB and force a ruck contest... which given above was our main strength.

Here-in lies the PROBLEM.
- no PLAN B (what are we the A-Team? )
- when Lade and Brogan started struggling so did we.
- when our midfield was weakened by injury so were we.

* 3 years on and we have no Lade, no Burgoynes, an extremely defensive based and unskilled midfield, and Brogan is struggling with the workload... and still no Plan B. MWs has refused to adapt... he is an extremely pessimistic coach... always too worried about what will go wrong (probably scared from the earlier career criticisms "wont win a flag" and the the 2007 debarcle).

I always thought the measure of an excellent coach was the ability to morph your game plan to suit your stage of development, playing list strengths and counteract opposition strategy.

Everything should be done to put the players in a position to maximize their own strengths not illustrate their flaws.

 

[kaysee]

I always thought the measure of an excellent coach was the ability to morph your game plan to suit your stage of development, playing list strengths and counteract opposition strategy..

same here... but I guess the last 2 years have highlighted that MWs is not and excellent coach people make him out to be.

 

[klem22]

same here... but I guess the last 2 years have highlighted that MWs is not and excellent coach people make him out to be.

williams has been a beat up all along now that the players are not there it is showing through in spades this man has no answers at all i repeat no answers at all

 

[wapower]

williams has been a beat up all along now that the players are not there it is showing through in spades this man has no answers at all i repeat no answers at all

Choco thinks it's the role of the playing group to make him a better coach. When he's given a good side look at what he can do!

Shame it's the other way around.

 

[240volt]

I dont mind teams chipping it around the backline to try and open up space in the zone, but you need to have precise foot skills and pace once the play opens up... we have neither

That's the problem we don't have the cattle to execute that game style.

 

[El_Scorcho]

I'd love to coach against Port Adelaide. You could basically take the week off because everybody knows how to beat us.

 

[Power21]

That chipping possession gameplan has been a Williams staple since day 1. It's why we were such a miserable train-wreck in finals in he early 2000s, and now with modern footy being all about getting numbers behind the ball to prevent scoring, it's the football equivalent of taking a burley bath before going for a swim with Great White sharks.

While we did play a possession game it, we definatly had the cattle for it, our team was stacked. Plus we did move it quicker, and bombed it on Tredders head more often than not.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

I always thought the measure of an excellent coach was the ability to morph your game plan to suit your stage of development, playing list strengths and counteract opposition strategy.

Everything should be done to put the players in a position to maximize their own strengths not illustrate their flaws.

It is.

It is the living definition of great coaching.

 

[Tas]

It is.

It is the living definition of great coaching.

I think Williams is afraid of taking chances and losing badly, he is trying to play safe and be in games, but it is self-defeating.

I look at so many players on your list and they look at their best when they are running aggressively, taking the game on, port are a very fast team but the slow, reactive and indirect football which isn't their strength.

I think Port would be a very different team in the hands of a more aggressive coach.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I think Williams is afraid of taking chances and losing badly, he is trying to play safe and be in games, but it is self-defeating.

I look at so many players on your list and they look at their best when they are running aggressively, taking the game on, port are a very fast team but the slow, reactive and indirect football which isn't their strength.

I think Port would be a very different team in the hands of a more aggressive coach.

In the preseason and early on when we had a full list to pick from and it was dry our greatest asset was that if our players were given time and space we cut sides up. We used our pace.

With injuries and wet and windy conditions and loss of confidence we have revert to this BS chippy chippy game plan. Under the roof at Docklands we should have attacked flat out - but for some stupid reason we didn't.

Oh and Williams doesn't know how to stop big losses. He can't stop the 5 to 10 unanswered goal runs opposition sides get until it is too late. The losses my be only 20 or 30 points but we usually were 20 or 30 points up late in the third or early in the fourth quarter.

 

[King Elvis]

I thought the most damning thing Harvey said in that interview was that the Power players weren't trying.

Add that to the gameplan stuff, and it suggests the players have lost faith in what they're supposed to be doing.

 

[tribey]

Under the roof at Docklands we should have attacked flat out - but for some stupid reason we didn't.

A North game, Laidley (seemingly) in charge, Docklands?... Attacking does not compute.

*Holds ball up*

 

[Toots Hibbert]

That chipping possession gameplan has been a Williams staple since day 1. It's why we were such a miserable train-wreck in finals in he early 2000s, and now with modern footy being all about getting numbers behind the ball to prevent scoring, it's the football equivalent of taking a burley bath before going for a swim with Great White sharks.

I don't recall us chipping across the back line until after 2004 when flooding became a tactic. However I agree Choco has always had a gameplan based on possession and going round the flanks. This chipping across the back line is a natural extension of his basic instincts regarding playing style.

 

[Powerade 08]

A North game, Laidley (seemingly) in charge, Docklands?... Attacking does not compute.

*Holds ball up*

DT, probably the first time I've loled irl at an avatar. Quality.

Back on topic, Brent Harvey tells us something we already know. A few opposition coaches have pointed out how easy it is to beat us as well.

Poor gameplan with no plan B. Just need to wait a year and hope the new guy has a bit of an idea.

 

[FishingRick04]

In the preseason and early on when we had a full list to pick from and it was dry our greatest asset was that if our players were given time and space we cut sides up. We used our pace.

With injuries and wet and windy conditions and loss of confidence we have revert to this BS chippy chippy game plan. Under the roof at Docklands we should have attacked flat out - but for some stupid reason we didn't.

Oh and Williams doesn't know how to stop big losses. He can't stop the 5 to 10 unanswered goal runs opposition sides get until it is too late. The losses my be only 20 or 30 points but we usually were 20 or 30 points up late in the third or early in the fourth quarter.

To sound a bit self indulgent but I have been banging on for seasons about this negative culture we have bread.

I brought up previously the pre season article I think from 2008 where Chad sited he doesn't interact with p[layers until they are 100 gamers or something like that. (Supposedly been resolved)

But I remember interviews of Broady and Salter being trained to think they aren't good enough, when interviewed and ask how is it playing with Cornes boys it's like, WOW if only I could be that good. These young boys should be taught to respect but surpass these older players, not be in awe and wish to be 50% of them.

Choco has lost his faith in younger players also and repeated puts them donw in the media when they replace the more senior players, which isn't going to help these boys believe in themselves.

It's a shame, damn shame (Have I mentioned chasing James Hird in this thread too?) lol joke

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The reason I have liked Michael Pettigrew and will always cut him some slack is because from the start of the Williams era our kids have shown too much respect for the older players especially in our forward line.

When Pettigrew become a permanent forward in 2005 and he had a set shot for goal, he didn't dart his eyes and look to pass of to a senior guy calling for the ball, which other younger players did and too often stuffed up. He basically said get stuffed, I'm having a shot for goal, I'm a better kick than you and I will kick this. He did that in 2005 and 2006 then Williams turned him into a defender, had a great 2007, but since that chase down and tackle by Ottens in front of the AFL members reserve in the GF the blokes confidence has been shot and we haven't seen him back in the forward line.

 

[b0ydman]

Here-in lies the strategy.

> 3 years ago we used this strategy because it played to out strengths:

- Lade, Brogan were at the top of their games (and Primus before them).
- Our midfield was stronger and less defensive.
- Our strength was definitely in our ruck contests and set plays around them.

* Our strategy was, unless a clear & uncontested option was available upfield, to kick along the boundary line, cause a contest next to the boundary which if we didn't win would most likely spill OOB and force a ruck contest... which given above was our main strength.

Here-in lies the PROBLEM.
- no PLAN B (what are we the A-Team? )
- when Lade and Brogan started struggling so did we.
- when our midfield was weakened by injury so were we.

* 3 years on and we have no Lade, no Burgoynes, an extremely defensive based and unskilled midfield, and Brogan is struggling with the workload... and still no Plan B. MWs has refused to adapt... he is an extremely pessimistic coach... always too worried about what will go wrong (probably scared from the earlier career criticisms "wont win a flag" and the the 2007 debarcle).

i am aware that this post is very very correct
well spotted
Plan B has only ever been switch Chad forward and go to outer wing at 3/4 time
This year he_has_switched zone defence / adapted in the 3rd quarter and it worked twice...can't remember which games, and almost came off against Melbourne

I love the coach, but he's bereft of what to do. Kindly move him on please